Traveling Soldier
by J.D. Sempai
Summary: "Yes, Eustass Kidd had joined the army. What did he have to lose? He had no family, no friends, no lovers – no one would miss him if he died. Then, why not go out with a bang?" A KiddxKiller AU, inspired by the song "Traveling Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I know. I have far too many things on my plate to be doing this, but here I am, doing it anyways!**

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**Traveling Soldier**

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**Chapter One**

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Kidd was bored, just sitting there, waiting for the bus. He was getting strange looks from passersby. But, then again, he always got these strange looks. He was big, muscular, and always had a scowl on his purple-painted lips – rather frightening in other people's eyes. His army uniform probably only made him look even bigger.

Yes, Eustass Kidd had joined the army. What did he have to lose? He had no family, no friends, no lovers – no one would miss him if he died. Then, why not go out with a bang?

After the 82nd person scurried past him, giving him a strange look, Kidd let out a sigh and stood, brushing off his pants. The redhead decided that a cup of coffee would be great. He grabbed his bag and hefted it onto his shoulder.

Rouge eyes scanned the nearby buildings in the small town and spotted a small café – perfect. The pale man made a beeline to the small café, causing people to scatter as he walked. He stepped into the café, and noticed that it was rather pleasant and not all that busy. Kidd walked to a small booth in the corner, next to a window, and sat there. He tossed his duffle bag underneath the table, and sighed softly. He set his elbow on the table, and rested his chin in his palm. The army recruit stared blankly out the window, watching passersby. He watched a few families and couples walk on by, before he turned to stare at the table.

"Excuse me?" A gentle and warm voice asked. Kidd turned his head to the left, where the voice came from, and he felt his breath hitch in his throat.

A rather well-built man was standing next to the table, smiling down at him. His skin was kissed by the sun – just the way Kidd liked it. Long, unruly blonde hair cascaded down his back, and seemed to be held by a ponytail at the base of his neck. Blonde bangs hung in front of half of his face, hiding his eyes and the bridge of his nose. His smile was blindingly beautiful, showing off two straight rows of white teeth. The redhead noticed that the other's teeth had a hint of some fangs – Kidd found that it just fit with this man.

"Yeah?" The pale recruit asked, his voice rather quiet.

The blonde's smile only grew. "Can I get you something?"

"C-coffee?" Kidd asked, cursing himself internally for stuttering.

"Sure thing." The waiter nodded and turned, going towards the kitchen. The redhead watched him go and noticed that the blonde's hair was tied back with a blue ribbon that was tied in a small bow. It made Kidd smile – the bow was cute.

Kidd let his mind wander. He thought of what it would be like to wake up every morning and see _that _next to him. Rouge eyes blinked him back to reality, just in time to see the blonde set a cup of coffee in front of him, along with a miniature pitcher full of cream.

"Are you okay?" The waiter asked, flashing him another breath-taking smile.

"…Not really," Kidd sighed, looking down at the mug of coffee. "I'm feelin' a little low, if I'm honest."

"I'm off in an hour, if you want to talk. I know the perfect place to go."

The redhead snapped his head up to face the blonde. He nodded shakily and the waiter smiled again, before walking away. Kidd poured quite a bit of cream into his mug, and took a few packets of sugar and dumped them in the steaming coffee. He took a sip, and watched the blonde scurry about, and noticed that no one got the same smile that he gave Kidd. The caffeine relaxed him, and he let his mind wander again. Why did he just agree to that?

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An hour later, true to his word, the blonde returned with a smile. "Ready?"

Kidd looked up at the man and nodded. He rose to tower over the other, throwing some money down on the table to pay for his coffee. He grabbed his bag and smiled.

The duo left the small café and the larger followed the blonde as he made his way through the crowds of people, who all moved out of the way as soon as they saw Kidd. The redhead noticed that they were heading into the seashore.

The waves were calm as the sun hung low in the sky, slightly changing the colours from blue to a soft golden-red. The blonde stepped out onto the old pier, his heeled boots thunking nicely against the wood. Kidd followed him, even though he didn't really enjoy the water too much. The waiter kept walking until he reached the very end of the pier, where there was no railing, and sat down, one of his legs dangling off of the edge, while the other was tucked behind his knee. He looked up at the pale man with a smile, and patted the spot next to him. Obediently, the redhead sat down next to him, dangling both of his legs over the edge, his bag hitting the wood behind him with a dull thunk.

"I come down here to think, sometimes," the tanned male explained.

"I can see why," Kidd replied with a nod.

"I'm Killer, by the way," the smaller said, finally introducing himself.

"I was starting to wonder if you even had a name," the army recruit chuckled. The name sounded rather odd, but who was he to judge? His name was Kidd, after all. "I'm Eustass Kidd."

"It's nice to meet you, Kidd."

The duo sat in silence after that, staring out into the ocean's gold-tinted waves as the sun slowly slid downwards in the sky, causing the colours of the sky to change to pinks, reds, blues, purples, and the blackness of night. They must have sat there for at least an hour, before anyone spoke. It was Kidd who decided to break the silence.

"Hey, this is gonna sound weird, but…could I write to you?"

Killer turned to face the army recruit, and smiled – that same dazzling one that he'd given Kidd at the small café – the one the blonde seemed to only give him. "I'd like that. If you want, I could give the other letters your write to your loved ones."

Kidd couldn't help but chuckle. "See, that's why I want to write to you. I got no one else to send a letter to."

A silence stretched between them, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable. At least, not in Kidd's opinion. Then again, he wasn't one to pick up on things like that. Out of the corner of his eye, the redhead watched Killer as his face was contemplative.

"I'd love to get letters from you," Killer said suddenly. He turned to Kidd and flashed him that smile again.

Before Kidd could open his mouth to say anything else, his watched beeped rather loudly, piercing the silence.

"Shit," the recruit muttered, standing up and fixing his uniform. He picked up his duffle bag and sighed.

"What was that?" the tanned male asked, standing as well.

"My watch. The last bus to the military base is going to be at the bus stop in a few minutes," he explained. Kidd watched as Killer's face fell, his smile missing. The redhead found that he wanted to do anything to get that smile back.

"So…I guess this is goodbye?"

"Nah," Kidd grinned, "This is just a 'see-ya-later', that's all."

Killer looked up at him, and flashed him that dazzling smile once more. He reached into the pocket of his jeans, and pulled out a pen. In a flash, the blonde grabbed a hold of the other's strong hand, flipping it over to reveal a pale palm. With quick strokes that slightly tickled, Killer wrote something on his hand.

"Then, I'll see you later," the smaller nodded.

"Yeah," the army recruit smiled, "I'll see you later."

The duo parted ways, Killer standing on the pier, staring out into the waves, as Kidd jobbed back to the bus stop just in time to see the bus pull up. A few other recruits were standing there as well, chatting quietly. The redhead towered over all of them, causing them to skirt away from him. Kidd didn't mind much. He was too busy reading his hand.

_Soldier Killer_

_308 Sabaody Archipelago_

_Apartment 3B_

_South Blue, 02020_

A smile stretched across his purple painted lips. He couldn't wait to get his hands on some paper.

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**This is the first chapter of this little...whatever this is. I know, I have so many different requests to do. I might have to cheat, and smush some of them together, because my brain is getting rather rusty. I am truly sorry for this. I just don't wanna disappoint all of you. I'd feel terrible.**

**Anywho, the other day, I woke up, singing 'Traveling Soldier' by the Dixie Chicks, and then I started watching the new episodes of OP, and well...this came to be! This is gonna be rather short, and a bit sad, and mushy, and full of feels that may make you wanna hit me. I apologize! I will warn you before hand if there are epic feels that may make you cry or depressed.  
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**I hope that you all enjoy this story, because I'm having quite a bit of fun writing it, although updates might be slow. I got a new book! _Don Quixote_, translated into English, because I'm lame and can't read Spanish, and it's 940 pages in total. So, when I take a break from reading or working on my other things, or from being lazy and napping, I'll try to write! Please, review and tell me what you've all thought about this - it inspires me a bit more.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, and welcome to chapter two of this little cluster-fuck I'm writing! I hope you all like it, and I'm sorry this took so long! Also, I know nothing about the military. (Then why are you writing a story about the army?! I DON'T KNOW! D':) So, sorry if I fuck something up.  
**

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**Chapter Two**

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It had been a month since Killer had met that redheaded army recruit named Eustass Kidd. He went about his life as if nothing had happened, even though he often thought about the attractive man who left him at the pier. The blonde still worked his three different part-time jobs – as a waiter, a mechanic at a local garage, and a grocer at the local grocery store. His life went on. Luckily, today he only had to work at the café, and his shift was almost over.

"Hey," the chef, Sanji, chuckled as Killer fluttered by the service window.

"Yeah?" the blonde asked as he slipped behind the counter to the cash register, opening the drawer with a quiet _ding_.

"You can go home, if you want," Sanji said, a grin on his face as he saw the shock on the other blonde's face.

"A-are you sure?" the older male asked, a bit guilty – he still had an hour left.

"Of course. You've been working hard all month. So, get outta here!"

"Thanks," Killer smiled, before tossing his order pad and pen on the counter for the next waiter on duty. He pulled off his apron, and his hair out of the ribbon. He wrapped it around his wrist, using his other hand and teeth to tie it there. With a small wave, the part-time waiter left, a bit of a skip in his step. He might be able to take a nap for once!

Killer made his way through the sleepy town in which he resided, to the apartment building that he called home. The first thing he saw when he entered the building was his neighbor and best friend since childhood, Jewelry Bonney.

"Hey," she smiled, pulling out a handful of chips from a rather large bag that was cradled in her slender arms as if it was a child. "You're home early."

"Yeah. Sanji sent me off," he said with a smile. The blonde walked over to the wall, where a cluster of tiny mailboxes were embedded in the wall. Bonney followed after him, loudly chomping on her chips.

"That was nice of him," the pinkette pointed out, tilting the bag of chips towards Killer in a silent offering. "You should really quit one of your jobs."

The blonde laughed mirthlessly, and delved his hand into the bag and retrieved a few chips and munched on them – barbeque, her favourite.

"I know that you can't quit, but we can dream, right?" She grinned, and nudged him playfully. He nudged her right back.

"Sure. I dream that I'm the King of England!" He chuckled, pulling the key to his mailbox out of his pocket.

"Then I'm the Queen of France," Bonney laughed as he opened the small metallic box. A few letters rested inside. The blonde pulled them out and flipped through them – bill, bill, chain letter, advertisement, and an odd yellow envelope that only had his address and name on it.

Bonney peered at the letter in her friend's grasp.

"What's that?" She asked, chomping some chips right in the blonde's ear.

"Not sure. Probably a chain letter or something."

"Prob'ly," Bonney agreed, her words muffled by the barbeque crisps still in her mouth. She gave him a gentle pat on his shoulder, nudging him in the direction of the elevator. "Get some rest, man. I gotta go to work."

"Have a good day," Killer noddle, and they parted ways. He wasn't entirely sure what Bonney actually did, because she always got fired and her job kept changing. The blonde was just happy that she always found a job at the end of the day.

Killer decided to take the stairs – as he always did – since it was only one flight, and he wasn't _that _tired.

The hall of the first floor was empty as usual – not many people actually live don the first flood. The blonde guessed that the reason was because there was a mass murder on this floor before he had graduated high school and moved in. The rent was the cheapest in town, but not many people wanted to live in a place where someone died.

Killer fished his keys out of his pocket as he walked, and he quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside. The blonde flicked on the kitchen light and dropped the keys on the counter next to the door. He kicked off his heeled boots by the door, and then he placed the letters on the table. After going to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of Mountain Dew, the blonde completed his 'coming home ritual'. He pulled out the kitchen chair, and collapsed into it, pulling the letters close to him.

The bills were for electricity and the rent. The chain letter was terribly written, and said something about a ghost haunting him in he didn't forward it. Killer rolled his piercingly blue eyes behind his bangs, rolled the letter into a small ball, and tossed it into the trash, making the shot with ease. Soon, the advertisement followed the crumpled chain letter.

At least, Killer was faced with the strange yellow envelope, void of a sender. He picked it up and ripped the side open and watched as a letter and a photo slid onto the table. Carefully, the blonde unfolded the letter and his eyes began to scan the page.

_ 'Killer-_

_It's me! Kidd! Told you I'd write! I'm just sorry that it took so long – boot camp took forever! But, I passed with flying colours! And, I made some new friends – Heat and Wire. They're pretty awesome._

_Anyway, I'm not good at writing letters or talking about myself. I never know what to say. So, if you wanna know something, just ask. I gotta go now – getting shipped off to a base later today!_

_I'll see you later!_

_ -Kidd'_

Killer couldn't help but grin – so, he did write. That pleased the blonde to no end. He looked over and picked up the photo that was laying, face-down, on the table.

Three men, all dressed in the same army outfit, smiled up at him. In the center was Kidd, grinning widely at the camera, like he was having a great time. On his left was an extremely tall man, who had long black hair and impressive sideburns. He had a quiet smile on his face. On the chest of his uniform, 'Batchan' was printed in thick black letters.

On the other side was a smaller male – though he was still taller than Kidd – who was looking rather flustered with a shy smile on his face. His skin was a bit blue-ish, and he had lots of tattoos on his face, neck, and arms. 'Eddie' was printed on his chest.

Killer smiled at Kidd's new found, ragtag group of friends. He flipped the photo over to view the back. _'Batchan Wire, Me, Eddie Heat'_ was written along the back, along with the address for the army base that he was going to.

The blonde smiled and he grabbed the letter, standing, and going to his bedroom. He walked over to his dressed and stuck the photo in a frame that contained a picture of Bonney and himself, a few years ago when they graduated.

Smiling and nodding to himself, he walked over to his desk, and pulled out a notepad and pen. It was time to write back to the army recruit.

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**Oh my god, this took forever to write! I've rewritten this chapter at least 6 times, and I finally said 'FUCK IT!' and put it up here for your reading pleasures! *grins* I am quite sorry about the wait, but I just...GAH! Oh, well. What's done is done, and life is good. I hope you all review, and tell me if this really does suck as much as I think it does! :D  
**

_**It's that time again! SHOUT OUTS! God, I love this time :D**_

**To the newest Candy- doggoneit, thank you for tuning in and reading this! It makes me happy that I keep getting new people who like my things, and I thank you so much for actually reviewing! :D And, as you requested (ish), here's a letter for you! ^_^  
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**To one of my favourite Candies EVER, Riley Ellen, now known as Chibon! Thank you for tuning in! I agree with you, a heartbroken Killer would be utterly adorable. I love to torture my babbus, and he is one of my main babbus to injure XD And, you're probably gonna LOVE Don Quixote. It's so fuckin' funny, I was cracking up and getting odd looks in the library :D And, thank you so much for telling me that you changed your name. That really helps my brain, and so I know that it's my same Nakama, just with a new name *grins* Please, keep tuning in! :D  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, guys! So, awesome news for people! I went to the beach recently, and I wrote TWO whole chapters while I was there, and I also started working on another request that someone *koffkoffCHOCOkoffkoff* asked of me, so hopefully when I knock that out of the way, I can start working on stuff that the rest of you have asked! Anywho, on with the story! :D  
**

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**Chapter Three**

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'_Hey, Killer!_

_ What's going on, man? Life treating ya good? Man, I hope it is. After all you told me, you need a fuckin' break! I wanna know how you're still functioning at the end of the day after three fuckin' jobs and only around 5 hours of sleep. Fuck that, man._

_ Anyways, to answer your questions: my favourite food is steak – rare, if you please. Yes, this is my natural hair and eye colour – I know, it's odd. I do like your hair, so don't cut it any shorter than your shoulder blades, okay? I think anything shorter than that would just look stupid. And I listen to mostly metal, and 80's hair bands, but I do like jazz, the blues, and some classical music – mostly Beethoven, but I can rock some Mozart every blue moon._

_ My turn! Do you have any brothers or sisters? Any nearby family? Do you live all alone in that apartment of yours? Is this Bonney chick your main squeeze? If you could have one wish come true, anything in the world, what would it be? (Heat asked me this one the other day, 'cause his little sister Cindry asked him that, and I got curious. Sue me.)_

_ I guess that's all I got to stay. Still haven't seen any action, but I'm hopeful! See ya later!'_

See you later. That's how Kidd always ended his letters. The redhead never wrote 'goodbye' or some other form of that – always 'see ya later'. Killer wanted to know why.

It was currently his break at the mechanic shop, and he was outside, smoking a cigarette he bummed off of the owner – Smoker – reading over the soldier's letter as he leaned against the side of the building.

Immediately, Killer replied in his mind, memorizing it so that he could write it down later and send it off to Alabasta, where the redhead was stationed.

'_Kidd –_

_ If you compare my life to yours, _I'm _the one who should be questioning how _you _are standing at the end of the day. I'm used to this kind of schedule, and I use Saturday to catch up on my sleep. It all works out in the end._

_ To answer your questions: I have a half-sister named Sadi who owns a rather demented sex shop (no, I'm not kidding, and don't laugh!), out near the prison of Impel Down. I don't really talk to her much, though. I'm sure you can understand why. Other than that, I have no family. I live all alone._

_ No, Bonney is nothing more than a good friend to me, and that's all she'll ever be. She's like a sister or a daughter to me, and I do love her dearly, but not like that. I don't have a main squeeze.'_

After this, Killer had to pause and ponder his answer. One wish that would come true – it was a silly notion, but it did make one think. The blonde thought about it until his co-worker – Apoo – came out to see if he 'had died or not'.

As Killer dropped the long ago burnt-out cigarette butt on the ground, he mentally finished his letter to Kidd.

_ 'My one wish would be for you to come home, safe and sound.'_

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Alabasta was terrible. The heat was utterly stifling even in the shade, it never rained, and all Kidd and his platoon just lounged about all day, with absolutely nothing to do.

Kidd was currently laying on his bunk, dressed in his uniform pants and boots – it was too hot for a shirt. Hell, it was too hot for pants, but he'd rather leave those on.

The redheaded soldier absentmindedly stared up at the ceiling, letting his mind wander. It happily skipped off to where it normally went – a certain blonde that licked to sit down by the pier and think.

His thoughts always seemed to be plagued by Killer lately. Not that he was complaining – far from it! Kidd just wished that he had met the man _before _he signed up for the army. Then, maybe they could have live and long and happy life together. But now…it was all up to Fate.

"Hey, Chief!" Eddie Heat grinned as he slapped the side of his friend's back. "Whatcha doin'?"

"…thinkin'," Kidd drawled lazily.

"Killer again?" Wire asked, peering at his friend – he was so tall that he could practically see over all the bunks.

"Yeah. That's all I ever think about," the redhead pointed out, bitterly.

There's nothing wrong with that," Heat explained, as he hefted himself up onto the top of his bunk, located next to the pale soldier.

"It's driving me crazy!" Kidd growled, his hands pulling at his long, red locks. "But, I don't wanna tell him…ya know? Plus, I think he already has a girl."

Wire's voice floated up from beneath both Kidd and Heat. "Bummer."

"Sorry man," the bluenette agreed.

As Kidd was about to open his mouth and tell his friends that it was no big deal, a name pierced the air.

"Eustass!"

The redhead soldier sat up in his bunk, and looked to the middle of the barracks, where another soldier stood, turning his head, looking for the soldier named Eustass.

"Over here," Kidd said, waving the man over. The other solder quickly walked through the bunks to him, and handed him an envelope.

"Letter for you."

"Thanks," the redhead said, taking the envelope and looking at the front – it was Killer. It was always Killer.

Immediately, the soldier tore open the letter and began immersing himself in the pages decorated in that perfect script. Rouge eyes scanned each word, every letter, letting the information sink in. His heart skipped a beat when he read that Bonney was not his girlfriend, nor did he have anyone else. As he kept reading, his heart soared when he read the blonde's wish – _"you to come home safe and sound."_ The letter proceeded to ask Kidd the questions that always ended their letters, but there were only two this time.

_'Why do you always write _'see you later'_ instead of goodbye? And, what would your one wish be?'_

He didn't hesitate to write back. The redhead soldier pulled the pen, notepad, and an envelope, which he kept under his pillow, and eagerly began writing his response.

'_Killer-_

_ I don't really do much now. Simple exercises, but mostly I lounge about all day with Heat and Wire – nothing too taxing, if I'm honest. It's too fuckin' hot for that. And you should ask for Sundays off, too. That way, maybe you could go out and have some fun! After all, working your life away is no way to live!_

_ Um, well, to answer the questions: I always write ' see you later', because it's a promise that I'll come back. If I write goodbye, then I could never come back, and I don't want to do that. I wanna come home again and hang out with you by the pier again._

_ And I really wouldn't want anything else but seeing you again. Yeah, that's my one wish. But, if I had another, I'd wish that you'd keep writing to me, as long as I'm over here.'_

The soldier proceeded to ask question about why Killer didn't have a girl, if he'd ever traveled anywhere or if he wanted to (_'I don't recommend Alabasta. It's too fucking hot.'_), and if he'd ever missed his sister.

Sooner than he expected, Kidd signed off with another 'see ya soon!' as was left with is usual after-letter dilemma.

A few letters ago, Kidd had written a letter that told the blonde the truth – that the soldier had fallen for him. He hadn't gotten enough guts to send it yet, and now he was here, debating on stuffing it into the envelope along with the newly-written letter.

Eventually, the fear of rejection won, and Kidd decided that he wasn't going to send it. Instead, he stuffed the newer letter into the empty envelope, quickly addressing it and stuffing the letter inside.

The pale soldier hopped down from his bunk and made his way to the mail room, licking and sealing the envelope as he went. He let his mind wander again, back to the blonde, and he wondered if he might have a chance.

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**Welp, there we have it! More letters, more feelings**, **and friends! :D I actually wrote this in about an hour and was actually pleased with it, so here it is! ^_^ Please, tell me what you all thought. I thrive off of reviews and other such things! It makes me happy! -^_^-**

_**It's that time again, kids! SHOUT OUTS! :D**_

**To my wonderful Candy-LoveChocolateAndRock'nRoll, thank you for your support, darling. It helps me get over things, and makes me happy. I adore you, and I always will.  
**

**To the adorable Candy-doggoneit, have I ever told you I love your name? It makes me smile. Anywho! Look! More letters! And actually images of Kidd writing back! Thanks for the great idea, by the way! You're awesome!  
**

**To the newest Candy-darkimpulse, thank you for the review! It makes me so happy, and I love to make new friends! Thank you for telling me what you think, and I love little ideas that you all give me! It actually helps a tad, because they're rather small and I can fit them into the story if I try my hardest. And we'll see about the meeting..not sure if I want this to be an angst-y or happy ending yet.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING: This chapter has feels in it! Just a head's up.  
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**Chapter Four**

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As the days went by, and the seasons changed, Killer and Kidd kept exchanging letters. They kept telling each other about their lives – Killer's three different jobs, Kidd's boredom, Heat and Wire falling in love with each other – and kept asking and answering questions, always ending each letter with a 'see you later!'

It had been a week since Killer had sent his last letter, so Kidd's response should be arriving at any time. The blonde thought this over as he walked into the apartment building he called home. It was almost ritualistic – every two days, he would come home and check the mailbox, grabbing its contents, then practically running up the stairs and into his apartment, where he would flip through the letters, looking for Kidd's. Today was no different, as he went through the movements almost automatically, as he let his mind wander to what he was going to make for dinner.

Up the stairs he went, hurrying to his apartment. He unlocked the door, flicking on the lights, put the keys on the counter, kicked off his shoes, and then set the pile of letters on the table. Quickly searching the fridge and pulling a bottle of Mountain Dew out of the machine, he sat down at the table, opening the bottle and taking a swig.

He flipped through the letters rather quickly. That familiar yellow envelope soon found its way to the top of the stack, his name written in messy scrawl on the front. A smile settled on his face as he ripped the envelope open and unfolded the letter that rested inside. But, the words scrawled across the page nearly broke his heart.

'_Killer-_

_ I have some bad news. I'm being shipped out to Raftel. I'm finally going to see some action! But, the bad news is that I won't be able to write to you while I'm there. It's in a secret place, all hush-hush. So, this is the last letter I'll be sending you for a while. I'm sorry._

_ On a happier note, today is the day we met in the café last year. I guess you could call this our anniversary. So, happy anniversary, Killer. There's something I want to tell you, but I don't feel like I have the right yet. So, I'll wait until I come back, okay? Will you wait for me until then? I'll see you soon!_

_-Kidd'_

Suddenly, the blonde's world crashed down around him, shattering into tiny pieces. His soldier was gone. Kidd was gone. The only thing that Killer could do about it was sit, pray to every deity he knew, and wait. The waiting would be the hardest part – perhaps downright torture. But, he would wait, because that's what Kidd asked him to do. So, he would wait for his soldier to come home.

* * *

Killer hadn't heard from Kidd in a few months – almost 6 now – and the blonde still waited, just like he was asked to. He still dutifully checked the mailbox, but he was disheartened every time a yellow envelope wasn't in the stack of bills and chain letters.

It was currently Friday night, and Bonney had coerced Sanji into letting Killer off early so that the two of them could go to their high school's homecoming football game.

It was a tradition between the woman and the blonde – every year, they would go and cheer on the high school that they both graduated from – South Blue High, in the southern part of the town they lived in. This year would be no different.

"Oi, Killer!" The pinkette called as she entered her friend's apartment without knocking, as was her normal fashion.

"Hang on!" The blonde's voice drifted to her from inside the apartment –from his room, if she had to guess.

Soon enough, the part-time worker emerged, in jeans and a dark blue hoodie that hugged his growing frame rather well.

"You're getting muscular," Bonney noted as she watched him stuff his wallet and keys in his pocket.

"You think?" Killer asked, looking down at himself. He really wasn't doing anything different, besides the extra evening hours stacking boxes in the backroom of the grocery store.

"Yeah. You may actually be attractive soon," she joked, sticking her tongue out at him – a sure sign of her playfulness.

"Oh, let's go," the blonde grinned, following as the pinkette lead the way out of the apartment, then the building itself, heading towards South Blue High.

* * *

The football stadium was jam packed, as it always was, especially for homecoming. The alumni duo each paid seven dollars to get inside the over-crowded gates. Bonney grabbed her friend's hand as she pushed past people, barking at them for being in the way. Killer apologized to them as he was dragged through the crowd.

By the time that they passed the concession stand, the crowd lessened only a little. The pinkette pulled him to the farthest side of the bleachers, growling as she was jostled by the crowd. By the time they reached the middle section of the bleachers, there were less people, but still not by much.

They quickly found seats, rather close to the bottom row of the bleachers, but it was the only place they could both sit comfortably side-by-side, instead of on top of each other.

"Oh, look!" Bonney grinned, pointing out onto the field. "There's my little brother!" Killer looked and saw that she was pointing at number 22, and he could see the tell-tale pink hair beneath the helmet – Coby looked so much older, especially with all of the football padding underneath his uniform. He was still a tiny little thing, though.

"He grew up fast," the man commented.

"Yeah," she chuckled, "still a dweeb, though. I'm gonna go get some food. Want anything?"

"A coke would be fine, if you could."

"Got it!" Bonney grinned, patting her stomach. She quickly descended the stairs on the bleachers, disappearing into the crowd. The blonde felt rather bad for the workers in the concession stand. The pinkette was really going to make them work for their money.

The part-time worker let his mind wander as he stared out onto the field, and watched as the two teams – the South Blue Pirates and the Thriller Bark Zombies – as they practiced with their own teams, passing the ball back and forth, and stretched their limbs out.

Killer thought about Kidd – a luxury he hadn't afforded himself in a long while. He imagined the redhead's kilowatt smile like he saw in the photograph he was send, and he felt himself smile as well. Silently, he prayed for the soldier to come home safe, and looked up and whished on a star for good measure.

The anthem started playing, interrupting his thoughts. Everyone stood, as did he, and they faced the flag as it was raised.

A man's voice rang over the PA system, echoing in the crisp, twilight air.

_"Good evening, folks. I'd like to welcome you all to this year's homecoming game here at South Blue High. Now, folks, would you all bow your heads for a list of soldiers who have served out country to the fullest, and who shall be sorely missed."_

Killer froze in place, his eyes widening beneath his long bangs. He looked up at the heavens, folding his hands and prayed again – praying not to hear his name on that list. He prayed that the redhead was still fighting, even if Killer would rather have him home.

_"Batchan Wire," _the man said, his voice reverberating in the blonde's mind, and catching his attention when the familiar name was spoken. A deep panic settled in his bones – Wire was in the same platoon as Kidd! _Oh, God, please –_

_"Eddie Heat."_

_ 'Please, I beg of you! Don't say his name! Don't say –'_

_ "Eustass Kidd."_

Silence. In his mind. In the world around him. In his heart. This couldn't be happening – it just couldn't! _Please, God! This can't be happening!_

But it was. The buzzer sounded and the football game started. The part-time worker collapsed into his seat, and he sat there, alone, among cheering people as this world was falling apart.

The blonde felt thick, hot tears stream down his face and neck. He couldn't even stop them from coming. Killer bit his lip so hard that it bled and he tasted the iron life as it filled his mouth. He couldn't take it. He had to get out of here!

Killer jumped to his feet, and pushed past people, running down the stairs. He couldn't even open his mouth to apologize – he was afraid that he would break down and wail. The blonde pushed past people as he headed to the exit, knocking a few over in the process. He even shoved Bonney, as she was heading back to their seats on the bleachers with her arms full – she was carrying two large, brown paper bags filled with food and drinks.

Killer pushed her out of his path, tears pouring down his face, dripping on the ground almost violently. His vision was blurry, so he couldn't really tell who he was pushing, but he really couldn't care.

"Hey, Killer"! She cried when she saw him. But, he didn't stop. The blonde kept on running and finally broke through the crowd and left the stadium.

He ran. His arms pumped wildly as his legs carried him faster than they ever had before. He couldn't stop himself, even though a little voice in the back of his mind told himself that he couldn't run away from this problem, no matter how fast or far he ran. It was foolish, but he couldn't stop.

The part-time worker let his mind go blank as he ran. And ran. And ran. He ran until he couldn't run anymore, doing lap upon lap upon lap of the town. By the time his legs gave out and he finally collapsed and laid on the ground, he was next to the pier. That pier that they had first honestly spoke to each other. It was too much, and he couldn't help it.

Killer cried. He cried long, hard, and until he could no longer produce tears. He screamed himself hoarse, and lay on the ground, completely and utterly spend in a way that he had never been before, and he probably would never be again. Before he could even think about trying to stand or even lift himself up, he promptly passed out on the sidewalk, in a puddle of his own tears.

* * *

**I'm a terrible person, aren't I? WAAAAH! KIDD! KILLER! God, I'm sorry to both of you! ...I really don't have much else to say about this chapter other than: I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TEARS AND THE FEELS AND THE SADNESS! I really am sorry! *bows* Forgive me! Thank you for sticking with me this far, and I hope that even though it took a hard-right into the depressing, it still made you guys sort of pleased for the update. I'M SORRY! ..please review? You can tell me how terrible a person I am, if you want. Or, we can share cookies, hugs, cupcakes, chocolate, and ice cream, and we can get over this together!**

**_What time is it? SHOUT OUT TIME! That's right, kids!  
_**

**To my wonderful Candy-LoveChocolateAndRock'nRoll, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I did too, if I'm honest. And no, I'm sorry to say that Kidd won't be sending that letter full of his feelings for Blondie there. *shrugs* It makes me happy when you tell me what you think, and I do a little dance a lot! :D And I'm sorry if I made you cry, Choco-chan. We'll have chocolate together, okay?  
**

**To the newest Candy-PiratePigeon, thanks! The letters are actually what annoyed me the most, because I didn't know how to format them, but I'm glad people like them! :D Thank you for the review! I am sorry for any feels caused, because I don't wanna make anyone sad!**

**To the one with the awesome picture, Candy-darkimpulse, I'm sorry! Kidd can't send the damn letter! :'( It makes me sad, but I was fighting with the idea of sending the letter or not. Now poor Killer will never know what Kidd wanted to say to him! WAH! I'm sorry if I made you sad - I made myself sad, too.**

**To the adorable Candy-doggoneit, I'm glad you liked my little thing about Sadi. I try to put stuff in my stories that makes me happy and laugh, and it makes me feel even better when others laugh and enjoy my ideas as well! Thanks for laughing along. And I'm sorry! For feels and depressing matters, and all that bad stuff! Have some sweets, and we'll make it through!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Warning: Copious amounts of feels! You have been warned! **

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**Chapter Five**

* * *

When Killer opened his eyes, he wasn't laying on the sidewalk by the pier in a puddle of his own tears. Actually, he was lying on his couch in his apartment. That was strange. The blonde sat up with a groan, and instantly came to regret his decision. His head throbbed in the most brutal way he had ever experienced before. His eyes hurt, his throat burned, and the only thing that Killer wanted to do in that very moment was slip into a coma until the pain stopped.

"Oh, you're up."

The blonde turned slowly to see Bonney, standing the doorway of the living room. She had deep bags under her eyes and a frown was glued to her painted lips.

Killer tried to speak, but the only sound that came out of his mouth was a soft squeak that made him feel like he just swallowed lava. The blonde knew that he must have looked pathetic, but he couldn't help it – he was confused and in pain. He looked up at his friend, biting his lip. God, he felt so helpless.

Bonney rolled her eyes a little, and then disappeared, only to return with a pad of paper and a pen a few moments later. The pinkette stepped over to the couch, handing him the item, before flopping down on the furniture, watching him, expectantly.

Killer quickly scribbled on the pad, trying to keep his script neat, although he couldn't tell through his burning eyes. He showed the pad to her, and it read: _What happened?_

Bonney scanned the paper and shrugged a little, handing the notepad back to the part-time worker. "Not too sure. I saw you push me when you were leaving the stadium, but you didn't stop when I called you. I followed you out, but I ended up losing you in the town somewhere." She sighed, and reached out, gently brushing his blonde bangs out of the way. His eyes looked red and puffy. The man leaned into her affections, scanning her face, waiting for her to continue explaining.

"I called Drake to come and help me find you. It took nearly three hours. We looked all over town, but you were nowhere to be found. When we finally did find you, you were passed out by the pier in a small puddle."

Killer made a mental note to thank Bonney's boyfriend the next time he saw him. He supposed that waking up on the pavement would have been even worse than waking up on his couch, which was far more comfortable than concrete.

"Killer…what happened?"

The part-time worker couldn't help the fresh tears that sprang to his eyes – that made them burn even more. He quickly blinked them away, finding little relief, but his watery eyes did not go unnoticed by his friend.

The pink-haired woman wrapped her slim arms around him, pulling him close to her. Killer let his head rest in the crook of her neck – it was reassuring to know that someone was there for him. It helped him to choke back the fresh tears.

After a long stretch of time, where they just say there in companionable silence, Killer decided that it was time to tell her. He detached himself from Bonney, and began to dictate what happened on the paper. He wrote of how they announced the soldier's names – the soldiers who were never coming home – and how they had said Kidd's name in a way that made his heart stop. He scribbled his adventure through the town, how he cried, and then passed out. When he was finished, the blonde tucked the pen behind his ear, and handed the pad to his friend.

After a few moments of her violet eyes scanning the paper, a tear spilled down her cheek.

"Oh, Killer," she gasped, biting her lip. "I am so sorry. I know how much you cared for him." Bonney wrapped her arms around him again, squeezing him tightly, refusing to let go.

The duo stayed like that until the part-time worker slipped into that blissful abyss known as unconsciousness.

* * *

It took a long while for Killer to heal from this – at least, heal enough so that he could function properly without Bonney hanging over his shoulder like a mother hen. He ate, bathes, slept, and went to work all on his own now. If it wasn't for the pinkette, though, Killer was sure that he would be laying on the couch, just wasting away.

It had been six months to the day, and Killer had decided to take a trip down to the pier, seeing how it was his day off. Today was the date that Kidd had declared their anniversary, so he thought that he should celebrate accordingly.

The blonde stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked down the stairs of the apartment building. His mind was reflecting on the past, where it often resided these days. He stepped into the lobby, his head tilted downwards, lost in his own little world.

"Hey, Killer!"

The man in question looked up at saw Coby standing in the lobby, a mail pouch slung over his shoulder and an envelope in his hand – a blue one. The teen smiled brightly at him – after all, Coby admired Killer, even though he would never say it.

"Oh, hey, Coby," the older male said, giving him a small smile. "Did you get a new job?"

"Yeah," the teen chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "The pay isn't that good, but it's a start."

"Hey, if you need another job, I can put in a god word for you at the grocery store," the blonde offered. Coby was a hard worker, so he should be able to get hired easily.

"That'd be great!" The teen pinkette grinned, then handed the blue envelope. "This is the only mail you have today. I gotta go finish my rounds, but Bonney wanted me to come over later. I'll see you then?"

Killer took the letter, then nodded. "Yeah," he smiled. "I'll see you then."

With that, Coby left the apartment building, turning left, intent on finishing his route quickly. The elder male soon followed suit, stepping out onto the street, hooking a right towards the pier. He studied the envelope as he walked.

The blue envelope was indeed addressed to him, but the script was unknown to him. As he walked down to the pier, he flipped the letter over and read the words scrawled across the back: _Send only if I do not return._

The blonde paused for a moment, then turned onto the wooden pier, ripping the envelope opened, and pulled out its contents – another envelope, this one yellow, and a letter. Killer walked to the end of the pier and stopped, opening the letter, and began reading.

_'Dear Killer,_

_ You do not know me, as we have never officially met before, but we have heard many things about each other. My name is Eddie Heat, and I know that you are the one that Kidd had been exchanging letters with. He has written a letter in which I have enclosed in this one, perhaps seven or so months after I had met him. I thought that it was unfair that you did not receive this letter. So, I have decided that if we…meet an untimely fate, it would be unfair to you, if you never had the chance to read this strange letter._

_ If this is the only words that we ever get to exchange, I wish you to know that both Wire and I would have loved to have met you. We both consider you a good friend, even if we've never spoken._

_ With all this said, both Wire and I bid you adieu, and I greatly hope that this lever is never sent to you by pose. Instead, I hope to be able to give it to you personally._

_ -Eddie Heat'_

Killer sat on the edge of the pier, his legs dangling over the edge, as he let the words sink in. Why wouldn't Kidd send him a letter that he wrote – especially if it was written for him? It didn't make any sense to the blonde, but he was thankful that Heat had decided to send him this letter.

The part-time worker felt his chest warm slightly – he had wished that he could have met both Heat and Wire, but the letter and its words brought him a great comfort. It was as if all four of them had been good friends, and Killer wouldn't shake this feeling. Not that he wanted to. With his interest piqued, the blonde grabbed the yellow envelope, tore it open, unfolded the letter, and began to read.

_'Killer –_

_ God, I can't believe I'm writing this. But, I have a feeling that if I don't write it now, I'll never have enough balls to do it later on down the road. Sending it, though, will be another story entirely. _

_ I asked Heat and Wire how I should go about this, but neither of their suggestions were helpful, so I'm just gonna come out and say it – erm, well, write it. You know what I mean!_

_ Killer, I love you._

_ I have ever since that moment when you first smiled at me. As soon as I saw you, and heart your voice, I knew you were different. When you asked me if I wanted to go somewhere and talk, my heart almost leapt outta my chest! I mean, how lucky can a guy get?! I couldn't help but agree and follow after you, wanting to ask you a million questions, just to hear your voice again._

_ As we sat on the pier, I was kicking myself for joining the army. I would have given anything to side by your side that day. I wanted you to keep smiling at me. I wanted to touch you, hold you, kiss you – even now, that feeling's still there. I just can't help it! You're on my mind all the time, and I can't get you outta my head! (Not that I really want to.) All I know is that I would give anything in the world – my job, all of the money I have saved up, _hell_ even my left arm if I could just see your face, smiling at me, one more time. Then, I could die happy._

_ But, even though I'd do all of that, it doesn't change the fact that I'm way over here, while you're way over there. So, I have something to ask of you. I swear on pain of death that I will come back to you, if you'll wait for me. Can you do that? I don't know how long it'll take for me to come home, but I'll come back to you in the end. So, promise me… will you wait?_

_ See ya later, Killer. I love you. So much._

_-Kidd'_

The blonde felt tears sting his eyes as he clutched the letter close to his chest. Tears streamed down his face as he felt his chest and throat tighten. Kidd loved him – he was too scared of rejection to send the letter! Killer understood now what the soldier was talking about in his last letter – something he felt that he didn't have the right to say.

Killer looked out onto the ocean, a smile on his face, and nodded. He waited for Kidd – now he only hoped the redhead would wait in turn. The blonde would go with him when the time was right, but hopefully it would be many years from now.

"I love you, Kidd."

Now, all they had to do was wait.

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

**So, what do you guys think? I'm not that bad of a person now, am I? Yes, the letter was finally sent! It made me happy to write all of this mushy stuff, and I hope you'll all be happy reading it. I wanted to take a bit of a different turn than I normally do with all of my other stories which have happy endings. So, have a bittersweet ending! Still cute and mushy, but a little sad. Still, I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!  
**

**I am sorry that I made you all cry, but it made me a little happy - not the fact that you were crying, oh God no. But, the fact that you were getting so into this story that you teared up. It made me feel pride as a writer, and brought some tears to my eyes. Arigato, everyone!**

**A _BIG_thank you to everyone who read this, reviewed, favourited, and followed this story! It helped my inspiration work a little better!  
**

_**It is time...for the SHOUT OUTS! :D**_

_****_**To the anon-Candy - FAVORITE GUEST, no, this is the last chapter. I'm sorry for making you cry, but I fixed it! Thank you so much for reading!  
**

**To the adorable Candy-doggoneit, it is with a heavy heart that I tell you that yes, Eustass Kidd has died in battle. I wish I could say something different, but I just can't - that would be lying. I'm very very sorry for making you cry! But, I hope this ending made you feel a little better... thanks for sticking with me until the very end! It made me very happy to read your ideas and it helped move the story along! Thank you very much!**

**To my wonderful Candy- LoveChocolateAndRock'nRoll, I'm so sorry I made you cry! I didn't mean to! Honestly! But, look! I made it better! Don't worry, Choco. Everything's alright again! *grins* Thanks for reading, and telling me all your thoughts about it. Makes me all happy and warm inside.  
**

**To the newest Candy- celticpuppy, its a good song, isn't it? I had it stuck in my head for a month, then I wrote this! Now it's gone, and that makes me happy. But, sad to say, there's a bit of a sad ending, but it's alright. Still happy. And calling me awesome doesn't make me happy, bastard! *happy Chopper dance* But, thanks so much for reading! It means a lot!  
**


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